Jon Gosselin Says TLC Tried to Keep Him and Kate From Divorcing

It's old news at this point that much of reality TV is staged for the cameras. But one former reality star claims that his show wanted to change the course of his personal life. Jon Gosselin, the patriarch of the TLC show Jon and Kate Plus 8, claims that the network wanted to keep him and Kate from divorcing.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

He made the explosive claim on The Steve Harvey Show, addressing why TLC sued him for breach of contract in 2010:

"We knew we were going to get divorced and then the network tried to keep us together for the benefit of the show. So I quit. I said, 'I'm not having my divorce filmed. I'm not having it aired out for the public's consumption. And I'm not having reruns so my children can keep on watching the demise of their parents.' So I just took a moral stance versus a business stance."

Gosselin said that the decision cost him tremendously. "I lost everything. I lost all my money, I lost everything," he said. "The network sided with my ex-wife, they paid for her divorce attorneys, everything." A source close to the production told Us Weekly that they did no such thing.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

He says the loss wasn't just financial, either. Gosselin elaborated to Harvey that he hasn't seen all eight of his children together at one time in three years, and hasn't seen one son in a year and a half. "Most of the time, I get four," he said. "Whoever comes down the driveway, that's who I get." He says he and Kate never talk, except in court.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Redbook participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.